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Margaret Brewah

Margaret Brewah a Sierra Leonean girl aged 17 could have lost one of her legs if hadn’t been for the timely intervention of Pikin Bizness to refer her medical case to Dr. Jeff Neustadt in Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA where she regained her health. Her parents had out-rightly refused amputation as recommended by surgeons in both Sierra Leone and Ghana after series of diagnoses and x-rays.

According to Dr. Jeff Neustadt in Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA, “I think she had bone infection that was treated with antibiotics and biopsy drained it. It was definitely not osteosarcoma (cancer),” the Doctor explained. Although I am not a bone tumor specialist, Dr. Neustadt said, “the girl’s ailment does not look like Osteosarcoma to me. It is a more permeative process that is destroying the bone with a little subperiosteal reaction”. He added “it looks more like lymphoma or a peripheral neuroectodermal tumor, EwingsSarcoma, or osteomyelitis,” pointing out that the Lymphoma and PNET are treated with chemotherapy and Ewings with chemotherapy and local resection and Osteomyelitis is treated with surgical debridement and antibiotics. In the Doctor’s diagnosis, none mentioned lesions would require amputation, but surgical treatment to remove what is there or clean it up would be appropriate.

He also waived all fees for the anaesthesiologists and other physicians as well. The medical records the Doctor reviewed suggested that Margaret had a bone infection osteomyelitis initially.

However the biopsy indicated that she had osteogenic sarcoma. The latter diagnosis is a bone cancer and is often treated with amputation. Osteomyelitis, on the other hand, is treated with surgical debridement and antibiotics. Margaret’s records indicate that she took a number of antibiotics; her biopsy was also a form of surgical debridement. The Doctor concluded that some similarities with dead bone, new immature bone, new mature bone, and inflammatory cells.

Perhaps the specimens the pathologists looked at according to the Doctor did not show the major differences well and that may explain the inaccurate diagnosis. Additionally stating that her bone infection was caused by some type of bacteria; usually it is a common bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. He added that “the medication I am providing to Margaret is a “broad spectrum” and the antibiotic will cover most of the organisms that would cause osteomyelitis or other common infections.” “I am giving her 100 pills of Ciprofloxacin 500 mg, which is a potent antibiotic which is taken 2 times per day in the event of a recurrent bone infection.” Thus, she would be able to take this for up to 7 weeks. Hopefully it will never be necessary and can be used for other infections as well.

However bone infections can recur even many years later. I would not recommend that she take this medicine now, as it can have uncomfortable side effects. It is only a “gift” to her in case she should have a recurrence, her laboratory reports, and a CD of the x-rays we have taken was provided for surgeons in Sierra Leone to review them, if ever there is a recurrence. Dr. Jeff Neustadt in Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA expressed pleasure for providing the plane tickets to Margaret and Elizabeth, her sister, to have the opportunity to meet them, evaluate her, and ultimately give her and her family the good news of her good health. Pikin Bizness expressed profound gratitude to the United Nations Family in Sierra Leone for supporting the medication of the girl. The Brewah family also commended Pikin Bizness for saving their daughters life they also expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to her well being..